Astros II MLRS
|type= Rocket artillery |is_ranged= yes |is_bladed= |is_explosive= |is_artillery= |is_vehicle= yes |is_UK= |service= Since 1983 |wars= Iran-Iraq War, Gulf War, Angolan Civil War |designer= |design_date= |manufacturer= Avibrás |production_date= |number= at least 164 |variants= |weight= 10,000 kg (22,046 lbs)ASTROS-II - Avibrás / Brasil |length= |part_length= |width= |height= |crew= 3 |cartridge= |caliber= |action= |rate= |velocity= |range= |max_range= |feed= |sights= |breech= |recoil= |carriage= |elevation= |traverse= |blade_type= |hilt_type= |sheath_type= |head_type= |haft_type= |diameter= |filling= |filling_weight= |detonation= |yield= |armour= |primary_armament= Launcher Loader Module |secondary_armament= 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun |engine= Mercedes OM422 8-cylinder diesel |engine_power= 280 hp (209 kW) |pw_ratio= |suspension=6x6 |vehicle_range= 480 km (298 mi) |speed= 90 Km/h (56 mph) }} ASTROS II (A'rtillery '''S'a'T'''uration '''RO'cket 'S'ystem) is a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher produced in Brazil by the Avibrás company. It features modular design and employs rockets with calibers ranging from 127 mm to 300 mm. It was developed on the basis of a Tectran VBT-2028 6x6 all-terrain vehicle for enhanced mobility. Overview Astros II are normally grouped in artillery batteries consisting on average of about 13 vehicles: 6 of them are Astros II launchers, 6 are rocket resupply trucks and 1 a special radar-equipped vehicle controlling the fire-control system.cyberpioneer - Weapon - Steel Rain - the Astros Rocket Launcher System (May 04) The launcher is capable of firing rockets of different calibres armed with a range of warheads.Astros II - project and specification details Each rocket resupply truck carries up to two complete reloads. Service history The ASTROS II artillery system entered service with the Brazilian Army in 1983. The system is battle proven, having been used in action by the Iraqi Army in the Gulf Wars. In the 1980s, Avibrás sold an estimated sixty-six Astros II artillery systems to Iraq. Iraq also built the Sajil-60 which is a license-built version of the Brazilian SS-60. Sixty Astros II were sold to Saudi ArabiaMilitary army ground forces equipment Saudi Arabian Army Forces Saudi Arabia Equipements militaires armée forces terrestres Arabie Saoudite and an unspecified number sold to Bahrain and Qatar. Total sales of the Astros II between 1982 and 1987 reached US$1 billion. This fact made the Astros II multiple rocket launcher the most profitable weapon produced by Avibrás.Export Controls In Brazil In the 1980s and early 1990s, Avibrás worked almost exclusively with the manufacturing of rockets and multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), such as the Astros II, in addition to developing antitank and antiship missiles. At its peak, Avibrás employed 6,000 people; later it would be reduced to 900 people in the early 1990s as the arms industry demand fell. Even so, in the first Gulf War in 1991, the Astros II was successfully used by Saudi Arabia against Iraq.BBC News | BUSINESS | Cruise missiles 'Made in Brazil' Years earlier, the Astros II system helped Angola to defeat the UNITA. New generation The next step is an ambitious program, the Astros in 2020. Being a new concept, it will require an estimated investment of R$1.2 billion, of which about US$210 million will be invested solely in development. It will be integrated with the cruise missile TM AV-300-km range during the stage of testing and certification. It is said that the venture will, for example, enable the Army to integrate the Astros with defense anti-aircraft guns, paving the way for the utilization of common platforms, trucks, parts of electronic sensors and command vehicles.Governo se torna sócio da Avibrás AeroespecialGoverno Federal será sócio da Avibrás Aeroespacial The Astros 2020 will also be equipped with a 180 mm GPS-guided rocket called the SS-AV-40 with a range of . 30 Astros 2020 systems are to be acquired.Brazilian army will continue to upgrade Astros rocket launchers - Armyrecognition.com, December 29, 2012 Variants *'''SS-30 - fires 127 mm rockets - Loads 32 *'SS-40' - fires 180 mm rockets - Loads 16 *'SS-60' - fires 300 mm rockets - Loads 4 *'SS-80' - fires 300 mm rockets - Loads 4 *'SS-150' - fires 300 mm rockets - Loads 4 *'AV-300 MT' - cruise missile with a range of 300 kilometers (under development) Specifications *Range in indirect fire modeASTROS (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System) (first figure is minimum range): ** SS-30: 9–30 km ** SS-40: 15–35 km ** SS-60: 20–60 km ** SS-80: 22–90 km ** SS-150: 29–150 km ** FOG MPM: 5–60km ** AV-TM 300: 30–300km *Armour: classified. Probably light composite to give protection against small-arms fire. *Armament: one battery of 4, 16 or 32 rocket-launcher tubes *Performance: ** fording 1.1 m ** vertical obstacle 1 m ** trench 2.29 m *Ammunition Types: Extreme Explosives. Operators * Angola * Bahrain * Brazil ** Brazilian Army 20 Astros II (5 batteries) ** Brazilian Marine Corps will use a naval variant * Malaysian Army 36 Astros II http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2012&dt=0307&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_09.htm * Indonesian Army 36 Astros II on orderhttp://armstrade.org/includes/periodics/mainnews/2012/1109/100615589/detail.shtml * Iraq 66 Astros II (also built under licence as the Sajil-60) (Former Operator). * Qatar * Saudi Arabia 76 Astros II See also *HIMARS *BM-21 *RM-70 References External links *Astros II Artillery Saturation Rocket System, Brazil *FAS Military Analysis Network Category:Wheeled self-propelled rocket launchers Category:Artillery of Brazil